The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 271

Vers. 13-15.-Self-misrepresentation. "For such are false apost~ee, deceitfQl workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And .no marvel ; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it ie no great thing it his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." Three thoughts are suggested by these words. L M.AB RAS TllE POWER OF lllISREPRESENTING HIS CHABACTER TO OTHERS, Naturalists tell us ot animals which have the power to appear what they r!lally are not. Some feign sleep and death. Be this as it may, man ha.~ this power in an eminent degree- .be can disguise himself.and live in masquerade. Hence our Saviour speaks of" wolves in sheep's clothing." In fact, throughout' all circles and populations those who appear to be what they really are have {;Ver been in a miserable minority. As a rule men a.re not what they seem. Il. Dl THE EXERCISE OF THIS POWER MAN CAN INVEST EVIL WITH THE mGHEST FORMS OF GOOD. The "false apostles," to whom reference is here made, seem to have done so. Paul speaks of them as "deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Sa.tan himself is transformed into an angel of light." The worse a man is the stronger the temptation he has to assume the forms of goodness. Were corrupt men to show the state of their hearts to their contemporaries, they would recoil from them with horror and disgust, and they would be utterly unable to enjoy social intercourse or to transact their worldly business. As a rule, the worse a man is the more strenuous bis efforts to assume the habiliments of virtue. Selfishness robes itself in the garbs of benevolence, error speake':in the language of truth. Hence it does not follow that a man is a true apostle or minister of ChriAt because he appears in the character. Some of the worst men on the earth have been deacons and priests, occupied pulpits and preached sermons. "No marvel," says the apostle; "for Sa.tan himself is transformed into an angel of light." Hence it behoves us all to look well into the real moral character of those who set themselves up as the representatives of Christ and the teachers of religion. "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God : because many false prophets are gone out into the world." ill. fu WHO EXERCISES THIS POWER IN THIS WAY RENDERS HIMSELF LIABLE TO TERRIBLE PITh'ISHKENT. "Whose end shall be according to their works." Of all characters the hypocrite is the most guilty and abhorrent. More terrible and more frequent were the denunciations Christ hurled against such than against the voluptuary, the gross eensualist, or the sordid worldling. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites I" etc. (see Matt. u::iii. 13-33). As such are the greatest sinncrH, such will 0Jt. XI. 1-33.J THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHf A~S. 271